Daughters of Vulcan
by queenpearl
Summary: Various accounts of unusual ships with unusual powers. Born of fire, raised in fire, die in fire. These are the stories of creatures in which fire and water come together in a unique clash. These are the stories of the Volcano Ships.
1. Hyperion's War

_In a world where some ships are not as they seem, Hyperion must race to save her mate as global catastrophes threaten to destroy life._

"Normal"

 _"Comm"_

 **Black Ladies Chronicles Presents:**

 **Magma Volcanic Disaster: Hyperion's War**

Hyperion was new to the position of flagship. Since Virginia had moved up to fleet deputy, she'd been chosen to lead the submarine force. It was a big job, one that she was still getting used to.

"You look like your head's going to explode." Hyperion turned to see Kilauea coming towards her, her dark amber eyes thoughtful. "And you look as insightful as always." Hyperion chuckled. She nodded to the patch on her friend's fin. "Vent bothering you?" She asked. "Nothing you don't already know." Kilauea smirked. "So, what's on your mind?" She asked. Hyperion shot her a look. "You never give up do you?" She said. Kilauea shook her head. "Ugh, well its just I wonder how Virginia did it!" Hyperion grumbled. "New position's bothering you. Virginia complained about the same thing." Kilauea said. "Leadership is a difficult thing. You have to grow into it, adapt." "But I don't feel like I am." Hyperion sighed. "I've got Reprisal up my stern nonstop. Kentucky's asking for me to push congress into building more Ohio's. Need I say more?" "I think I get the picture." Kilauea said. "Of course you would. You've heard it over and over again since this navy was founded." Hyperion grumbled. "Oh far beyond that." Kilauea winked. "Rub it in why don't you." Hyperion sniffed. "Aww, don't be like that." Kilauea nuzzled her. "I'm just poking fun." "I know." Hyperion licked her. "Hmm, you're warm." She said. "When am I not?" Kilauea reminded her. "Good point." Hyperion chuckled. "Come on, we should get back." Kilauea pouted. "And here I was hoping you'd have something more interesting to offer." She whined. "Not here, later." Hyperion growled as the older sub whined her protest.

The pair docked at Pearl and Kilauea wasted no time getting into Hyperion. She shoved the other sub against the dock, tongue probing deep into her mouth. Hyperion moaned. "Gently, Kia." She mumbled. "I know your limits, darling." Kilauea purred as she moved her fins down Hyperion's rib cage. Hyperion shuddered, letting her mate set her down on her back. With what she knew had to be tremendous restraint, Kilauea lightly held her head as she worked her slit. Hyperion's eyes slipped closed as pleasure built within her. But just before climax, Kilauea's weight vanished. Curious as to why her mate retreated, she opened her eyes, seeing Kilauea leaning against the far side of the berth, panting. She righted herself. "Kia, what's wrong?" She asked. "I-I don't know... STAY BACK!" She roared when Hyperion made to approach. The younger submarine stared at her mate. They'd agreed when they first chose to mate that Kilauea would work with Hyperion's disadvantage as she was mortal, Kilauea was not. Not in the same since anyway. Kilauea agreed to be careful and Hyperion likewise agreed to respect her mate's space if she felt it necessary. But Hyperion also knew that right now, Kilauea would not have backed off, nor would ever back off like she did, unless she was certain that something was wrong or was about to go wrong. "Kia?" Hyperion began again, keeping her distance. Kilauea raised her head, amber eyes dark. "I don't know what that was, but I really didn't like the feeling I got just now." She said. "What kind of feeling?" Hyperion asked. "I don't know. Something shifted and I don't like it." Kilauea replied. Hyperion relented, her mate would tell her more if she knew.

They chose to forgo sex and settled in for the night. Kilauea took the shore side, Hyperion the sea. That way, if anything went wrong during the night, Hyperion could escape. It turned out that arrangement would be necessary.

Sometime around 3 in the morning, Kilauea's hull started to sweat. The increase in heat woke Hyperion who smartly moved clear of her mate. Seconds later, Kilauea's hull ruptured in several places, producing fountains of blood. The water turned red with it. This was more than just a vent, this was a full on eruption. "Help!" Hyperion wailed. "Someone help me!"

Arleigh Burke came racing in. "Hyperion? What's the matter?" She asked. "It's Kia. I don't know what went wrong. It's sudden and I..." The sub was hyperventilating. "Easy, easy." The destroyer licked her. "Is she conscious?" "I don't know." Hyperion answered. "Kia?" A groan was her response as Kilauea's eyelids flickered. Her amber eyes opened. "H-Hyperion." She coughed. "Don't come any closer. I could hurt you." "Not in this form you can't." Hyperion reminded her as she moved alongside, licking her muzzle lovingly. Kilauea managed a shaky purr, breaking it off as she convulsed. Her hull rippled and shuddered as she coughed. Hyperion used a fin to rub across her back, ignoring the blood she got on her. Kilauea moaned. "I've had bad ones before but not this bad." "You said earlier you felt something shift. What was it?" Hyperion asked. "Something in the Asthenos. I don't know what exactly. But there was a massive spike in pressure. Right now that's trying to be relieved." Kilauea replied. "Here in Hawaii?" Hyperion asked. Kilauea shook her head. "Worldwide." She corrected, seeing Hyperion's eyes widen in horror. Kilauea was of a unique breed. She was a ship and not a ship. A personification of the mountain she was named for. Same could be said for 1500 others around the world. Just one going off could be devastating enough, but all at once? To make matters worse, over half of the navies around the world were made up of these ships. Losing their capabilities now would be a tremendous blow.

"Hyperion, you know the consequences as well as I." Kilauea rasped. "Something's shifted that shouldn't have. If you don't find a fix for it, you very well could become the last of your kind." Hyperion swallowed hard. "Tell me what to do, Kia. I can't possibly begin to fathom what's going on..." She whimpered. Kilauea's breaths were coming in shallower now. More blood collected in her lungs, making it difficult to breathe. But her voice was steady as she answered. "You can't rely on me to help you. Not this time. This part of the equation you must do alone." Hyperion whimpered, pressing her muzzle to hers. "I need you." She whispered. "I'm still here." Kilauea promised. "I always am." "Whatever it is, I will fix it. I promise." Hyperion whispered. Kilauea kissed her. "Fix it and come back." She rasped. Hyperion nuzzled her cheek as her eyes closed.

By morning, Arleigh had Kilauea in the medical berths. Her siblings were showing the same problems. "Medical facilities at Bremerton and San Diego report the same symptoms to our Cascade-class. Yellowstone's showing the first signs as well." Arleigh gestured to the massive aircraft carrier, lying on her side in her own berth nearby. "And just an hour ago it came in that both Fuji and Hirashika are down. Indonesia's been hit hardest though. Nearly 3/4 of their entire naval fleet are volcano ships. All are showing signs of eruptive illnesses.""Damn." Hyperion growled. "This is getting out of control." "The USGS contacted Missouri this morning. She wishes to speak with you." Arleigh said. "Understood, I'm on my way." Hyperion set sail for Ford Island.

Having a one on one meeting with the United States Supreme Flagship was intimidating to say the least but Missouri was welcoming to Hyperion. The submarine could practically hear her desperation as she gave her briefing. "The USGS determined that these changes in pressure were caused by human industrial activity at the surface. It's causing massive fluctuations in the earth's inner and outer cores." She said. "How do we stop it?" Hyperion asked. "We don't." Missouri shook herself free of her mooring lines, and turned her bow to the sea. "What we can do however is determine where the pressure is released." "I don't follow." Hyperion answered. "Its simple really and goes against everything we've been taught. But by opening cracks in the ocean floor we can allow the magma to escape there instead of on land." Missouri said. "Even if we could break open the crust, the only weapon that could possibly have a hope of doing so is..." Hyperion's eyes widened as the realization struck her. Missouri nodded grimly. "I've been in contact with the UN. Each nation with a nuclear arsenal has dispatched a fleet of submarines to the Pacific and the Atlantic trench zones. Hyperion, you'll be heading a multinational task force in the Marianas. You leave in 1 hour." Hyperion dipped her head. "Understood, Missouri." She answered. She kept her voice calm but the prospect of leading the British, the French, the Germans, the Russians, and anyone who had nuclear submarines, terrified her. What if she made a mistake? Now was the worst time for that to occur. Missouri seemed to know what she was thinking for she said "You'll do fine. Just keep focused." "Thank you Missouri." Hyperion saluted, then left for the medical berths. There was one last thing for her to do.

Kilauea was practically covered in bandages, tubes, and wires. She looked more like a mummy. "How is she?" Hyperion asked Arleigh. The healer sighed. "The stresses being placed on her are immense. She can't take it." "You mean she's _dying?!"_ Hyperion cried. "In our sense of the word, yes." Arleigh replied. "But as you know it isn't "death" as she understands it. I fear she'll only continue to "die" and come back until this is resolved." Hyperion shuddered at the thought, for the first time grateful that she could only die once. Once could be painful enough but multiple times. It was no wonder some of Kilauea's breed went mad! "Keep me informed, Arleigh. I mean it." She growled. "You have 5 minutes." The healer said and left. Hyperion was left alone with her mate. "I don't know if you can hear me." She began. "I don't know if I'd want you to. I've been chosen to lead a multinational task force to the Marianas Trench. We can't stop the plumes but we can divert them. The ocean floor seems reasonable." She paused. "I'm not going to lie to you. It will be dangerous. But then you would know that, wouldn't you." Hyperion's voice shook, her eyes filling with unspilt tears. "I need you Kia. Now more than ever. This is your field of expertise not mine." She leaned down, grabbing her mate's fin and gripping it firmly. When she let go, her diamond ring was placed on one of Kilauea's webbed fingers. "I'm trusting you with this. Keep it safe for me okay." She kissed her cheek. "I love you Kia." Leaving the berth, she met Arleigh outside the curtains. "You watch out for her!" She growled. The healer dipped her head. "I will." She promised and Hyperion left for an uncertain fate.

The Marianas trench was one of the deepest places on the planet, the bottom was 7 miles down. Hyperion hovered at the edge of it, looking down into the featureless black crack below. It was completely dark, none of her lights could penetrate it. Hyperion almost felt as though that darkness was creeping out, feeling along her hull like little fingers and she shuddered. "You're not afraid are you?" teased a Russian. "Are you?" Hyperion growled, shooting her a glare. "I am, concerned." The Russian managed, looking away. Hyperion snorted. "That's what I thought." She muttered. In a louder voice she added "It's okay to be scared." She looked around her at her fleet. "It's okay for all of us to be scared. There's no shame in admitting it. What we are about to do is dangerous and may get us killed without it ever working. If any of you have objections, you may speak them now without fear." There was a brief murmuring among the different subs as the translators explained Hyperion's words. Then for a moment, all was silent, until one submarine, a Russian, spoke up. "If we do not do this, we are all dead anyways." "I have 2 friends at home, who are suffering because of this." said a Japanese sub. "I owe them." Hyperion dipped her head. "We're dead if we don't do this and we might be dead if we do. I'd rather go down fighting, suh!" finished a British sub. Hyperion's smile widened. "Well then, as none of you have any objections. Let's get to work!"

As Hyperion got into position, she kept in constant contact with Reprisal in the Atlantic. _"For your sake, this better work."_ The other sub growled. _"This will work, for all our sakes. Because if it doesn't, it'll be the end of us all."_ Hyperion growled and fired her first set of nucs. The first flew of course and impacted with the trench wall. "Dammit!" Hyperion swore, cussing out the mechanics who made these things. Fortunately the second flew straight down, opening the trench to the mantle below. Thermal readings spiked, then dropped as the erupting magma came in contact with the ocean. Hyperion continued on, firing her remaining two nucs. This time, both worked. As the magma erupted, the trench walls became unstable and crashed down. Hyperion was just able to pull out in time. In the Atlantic, Reprisal was not so lucky. Hyperion had an open link with her and could hear what happened. Her fellow sub had been hit by debris, she was stunned by the blow and taking on water. _"Reprisal for god's sake pull up! Get out of there!"_ Hyperion roared over their comms. _"Steering's been disabled, I can't."_ Reprisal answered. _"I'm heading for the trench wall. For what its worth Hyperion, I am sorry I criticized you so much. I just.." "You wanted to see if I had chinks in my armor, I know."_ Hyperion answered gently. _"Every good leader knows they have one and works to better themselves with it. And you Hyperion, are a great leader."_ Reprisal said. _"Reprisal please."_ Hyperion begged. _"I did my duty Hyperion. Just let me go."_ Reprisal whispered. _"You have served your country with distinction and honor. I, USS Hyperion, Commander of the United States Submarine Forces, hereby promote you USS Reprisal to the rank of Cruiser and dismiss you from active duty with an Honorable Discharge."_ Hyperion could practically hear Reprisal's smile as she whispered _"Thank you, Hyperion..."_ The line went dead. Hyperion blinked back her tears as she rose out of the trench and rejoined her fleet. "All ships report success, sir." the British sub reported. "Thank you." Hyperion wasn't quite able to bring the cheer into her voice and the British sub took notice. "Something the matter, sir?" She asked. "I just got word from the Atlantic fleet. The cost of their success was higher." Hyperion sighed. "Reprisal?" Hyperion nodded. The British sub bowed her head. "I'm sorry." Hyperion nudged her. "She did her duty, as we all did today. Now its time to see if this crazy scheme actually worked. Let's go home."

After a week layover in Guam for minor repairs, an additional 2 days of lecturing from the bases' CMO, 4 days of attempted escape, and 2 more days of endless checkups to make sure everything was running smoothly, Hyperion raced into Pearl 3 weeks after her success at the Marianas. She was going so fast, she nearly ran into Arleigh who was just emerging from the medical berths. "Whoa there." The destroyer steadied her. "I assume you want to see Kia?" She asked. "How is she? Is she alright?" Hyperion practically screamed. "Easy. She and the others still have a long way to go before I'd say they're 'alright'. But they are on the mend. Your crazy plan worked, Hyperion. Maybe because it was just that, crazy." Arleigh chuckled. "Oh go on, don't let me hold you up." Hyperion vanished in a shower of spray. The destroyer laughed and continued on.

Hyperion stopped just outside Kilauea's berth, taking several deep breaths to calm her frayed nerves before tapping the curtains. "Come in." said a weak voice. Hyperion gently pushed them aside as she entered. Kilauea was lying on her side, still connected to several machines but Hyperion was pleased to see her breathing mask was gone as were a majority of the bandages that had covered her sides. The only things in her now were an IV drip and an Oxygen tube that fit to her nose. "I was wondering when you'd come around." She said with a grin. "I came as fast as I could. Sorry it took so long." Hyperion answered. "It only took so long because you gave Guam's CMO a lot of trouble. I read her report. How did she put it "Irresponsible and reckless"?" Kilauea shared her mate's laugh. "Good to see you're on the mend." Hyperion murmured, kissing the top of her head. She felt Kilauea's fin grip hers in a surprisingly strong way. But what seemed strong to Hyperion, was likely just a light squeeze for her mate. When she let go, Hyperion's ring was back on her webbed finger. "You left that here. Why?" Kilauea asked. "Don't you know?" Kilauea swallowed hard. "You didn't plan on coming back." She sighed. "Hyperion, I knew the risks when I mated with you. I knew that, one day, you would leave me. I knew that one day, my heart would be broken. I thought I could be ready for it." She looked up to meet Hyperion's gaze. "I now know that no amount of time or preparation could ever ready me for that day." "So what are you saying? You don't want to be with me anymore?" Hyperion asked. "I also came to another conclusion. Even though one day it will hurt me in ways I can't even begin to fathom, you are not just my bane but my life. I cannot live with you but I cannot live without you either. Leaving you now would be." She searched for the right word. "Unbearable." She managed at last. "Oh Kia..." Hyperion buried her muzzle into her mate's side. "I wish I could be immortal. For you if no one else." "It can be a pretty lonely existence." Kilauea told her. "Guess I'll just have to hope then that someone finds and names a Mt. Hyperion. Then I could be with you."

Hyperion backed off a second later, shaking her head. She raised a fin to her ear, still in shock as she felt the blood collecting there. Kilauea stared at her, her fin still raised, pants intensifying. "Don't say that. Don't you ever say that." She growled. "Being a mountain is a terrible, terrible way to live." She leaned forward, her muzzle mere inches from Hyperion's. "First you witness everyone you love die from disease and age. Then, when all them are gone and their descendants have forgotten you, you exist merely to exist. Your purpose is forgotten, everything you ever were becomes meaningless. All you want is to die. You seek death around every tree, beyond every wave, every island. And when it finally does come, you no longer care about anything. Not even how much it may hurt. Such an existence, it's maddening!" Kilauea turned away. "But only if you spend it alone." Hyperion murmured softly. Kilauea kept her back to her. Hyperion sighed. "You're right, I do not understand what that existence can be like but I do know that even in the mortal world, being alone is never a good thing. I cannot promise immortality, but I can promise you I will be here for as long as I can. And I will never, _ever_ forget you!" She curled around her, relishing in her warmth.

"Oh Hyperion..." Kilauea sighed, leaning into her. "I'm here. Focus on that. For now and for as long as you need me, I'm here." Hyperion whispered, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Kilauea twisted at the last second, mashing her lips to her mate's. Hyperion adjusted her angle, fins working to grab Kilauea's shoulders. When the volcano broke off for air, Hyperion's lips trailed down her throat, teeth nicking her shoulder. A moan escaped her before she came to her senses. "No, Hyperion." She rasped. "No." She gently pushed her mate away. Hyperion understood. "Your right, that was stupid of me. You're vulnerable right now." She sighed. Kilauea could hear the disappointment in her voice and nuzzled her neck. "Later." She promised. Hyperion smiled as the two settled back in the berth. She snuggled up to her mate as Kilauea placed a fin over her, pulling her close. "Later." She agreed as the pair rested in each other's warmth and love. Their future, whatever it was, would be faced together.

 **THE END**


	2. The Loudest Scream

_An aging ship must fight to protect her mate during one of the world's greatest disasters._

 _..._

26 AUGUST 1883

Most ships in the Dutch-Indonesian fleet were a special breed. Some appeared civilian, some appeared military. But they all had one thing in common, they were children of the Roman god Vulcan. Born of fire, alive through fire, and sometimes, died in fire. HMDS Krakatoa was no different. She wasn't the largest ship by any means but she was goodly sized in her own right. She was leaning against the dock at her berth in Batavia, the Javanese capital. For weeks she'd been feeling sick, down with nasty bouts of stomach bugs. She knew it was only a matter of time. For 200 years pressure had been building up deep within her island. She'd been doing her best to hold it back but she was only delaying the inevitable. She groaned, forcing back another wave of nausea. If she gave in now, thousands would die. She would hold back until winter if she had to, when the shipping in the busy Sunda Straits was reduced. Another wave came over her, right on the heels of the first. This one was so powerful it forced Krakatoa roll on her side, clutching her stomach. Her teeth were clenched and her breathing was highly erratic.

"No..." She rasped, tilting her head back as she forced back the bile as it rose in her throat. She fought it back for several minutes. "No, you don't!"

Bararoo was a few berths down and looked at the larger ship pityingly. Krakatoa was trying so hard to keep a lid on the forces pressing in on her. Sighing, she left her place at the pier and approached the suffering warship.

"Let it go." She murmured.

Krakatoa, her eyes shut and teeth bared to the gumline managed to hiss "No."

"Let it go, Craya." Bararoo growled.

"No, I can't!"

"HMDS Krakatoa, quit holding back what you cannot control! It's killing you." Bararoo reared up and when she came down she hit the larger ship right in the belly.

Krakatoa squealed, jaws parting momentarily before she clenched them tightly shut once more. The pain was the first thing that hit her. Bararoo's strike was relatively soft but against such a sensitive area, it was as good as a kick to the gut. Nausea came instantly after and Krakatoa put everything she had into forcing it back. This time though, the forces deep within her fought back with a vengeance. Hot liquid bile rose through her throat and into her mouth, filling it quickly. Krakatoa tried but this time she found she could not force it down.

The big ship convulsed, then started vomiting up a storm. Bararoo positioned myself alongside, ignoring the vomit as it floated past and around her. Volcano or not, killer or not, Krakatoa needed her. Bararoo knew her well and having seen how hard she'd fought she knew she'd never do what she did that day if she had the choice. The worst part was, she never did.

Bararoo held Krakatoa's head up, making it easier for her to breathe. She hardly had any time for that as she convulsed repeatedly, unable to stop. Unable to control her own body. Ash clouds blotted out the sun and a relentless gray fall smothered the two of us. Bararoo couldn't see her own bowsprit, let alone the ship she was holding. She could still hear her though, whimpering pitifully in sheer agony in those few moments between vomiting convulsions. Her whole body shook with pain and distress. Bararoo didn't need her sight to detect that.

This went on for several hours and just when the steamer thought things might die down, nature proved her wrong. A tremendous explosion rocked her, the shockwave strong enough to push her against the dock. It was the first of four massive explosions that Krakatoa would suffer. The big ship screamed, her hull seam bursting at the shoulder. Blood poured from the wound, sticky red and viscous. Bararoo didn't try licking it clean. Fresh blood from a volcano ship was a corrosive like no other. Her iron hull stood no chance. Diluted in the water it was okay but still potent in large amounts.

Bararoo remained faithful at her mate's side though, determined not to leave. Less than half an hour later a second explosion tore through Krakatoa. Already exhausted by her previous efforts, Krakatoa could do little more than squeal as both her flanks tore open. She rolled fully on her side, letting the blood coat her exposed port quarter. Bararoo still held her head, ignoring the vomit that quickly stained her hull, the tide of which seemed relentless. With each eruption, Krakatoa got worse and worse and as the blood flowed her ability to cope with the rapid change diminished.

It was still a surprise to Bararoo however when a sound she would never forget boomed in her ears at about 10 that morning. She would later learn it was the loudest sound in recorded history. It was matched only by the scream escaping the ship beside her. Krakatoa's primal cry drowned that of her peak's. It was so loud, Bararoo had to open my jaws to prevent her ear drums bursting. As it was, the steamer would have a ringing bell for a few days afterwards. She fell against her, her convulsions becoming more erratic. Bararoo recognized her symptoms for what they were. She'd gone beyond just a simple eruption. She was in her death throes.

The steamer got a good grip on Krakatoa's head, ignoring the thrashing the rest of her body made. "Krakatoa, listen to me. Listen to me!" She yowled in the other ship's ear. "You give up, I will never forgive you. Don't you dare! Don't. You. Dare!" She snarled, punctuating each word. She wanted her message to be crystal clear, beyond even the slightest shadow of a doubt. "Hold onto me, and don't let go." She helped Krakatoa grip her hull and shoved a metallic rod between her teeth for her to bite on. It beat screaming.

She clamped down onto it tightly and her grip echoed her bite. Bararoo could feel her ribs creak in protest under her strength but she held firm. Krakatoa needed her. What was a few broken ribs compared to her agony? Bararoo was aware of tear droplets falling in a steady stream down her hull, removing the ash buildup on her decks. It took her a few seconds to realize they were hers and Krakatoa's. The steamer brushed her bowsprit along Krakatoa's side, ignoring the pain the acidic blood caused on the long pole. "Shh." She whispered. "Just let it out, shhh." What could she say to a dying ship?

Bararoo heard the distinctive crack of the metallic pole in Krakatoa's jaws or maybe that was her ribs as the final explosion sounded. The massive island in the distance disappeared behind a wall of water, thrown up as it collapsed into the sea. She felt Krakatoa curl around her and she was unable to hide her hiss of pain this time as her mate's acidic blood came in contact with her hull. There was no time for apologies though as the wave slammed into their dock. Krakatoa, with her super strength, could resist being swept away and she kept Bararoo firmly against her hull, protecting the steamer from the same fate.

They must've had nearly half a dozen waves hit that day. At one point a piece of coral got through Krakatoa's defenses, striking Bararoo on the head. The steamer fell unconscious. When she woke, it was at least several days after the eruption. Her hull had suffered 3rd degree burns over 80% of its mass. In most places it was corroded down to the bone. Her broken ribs had bent inward under the impact with the tsunami and one had slightly punctured her lung. She was mortally wounded but was determined to hang on for her friend. Krakatoa lay beside her in a steaming wreck. Her eyes were open but glassy and her breathing nonexistent. Her lips were curled in the last snarl of life. But Death as Bararoo knew it was not the same for Krakatoa. She would wake again, Bararoo just had to wait and be patient.

It was another day before her eyes opened. When they did, Bararoo was unable to stifle the gasp that escaped me. Those beautiful amber orbs she'd come to love were now clouded and dark. She knew without asking that the larger ship gone at least partially deaf as well. She could hear Bararoo if the steamer yelled but otherwise she would just sounded muffled. "B-Bararoo?" Krakatoa shivered.

Weakened by her own injuries, all Bararoo could manage was a deep purr and Krakatoa touched her nose to her mate's scarring shoulder. She smelled Bararoo's presence and the steamer felt her muzzle press itself to her decks. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it." Krakatoa murmured.

"Krakatoa..." Bararoo began.

"I thought for certain you'd be swept away. I thought you'd..."

"Krakataoa!" The steamer growled, finally getting the volcano's attention. "You-you will lose me. You are losing me. My hull, it couldn't withstand the forces put through it. I have a punctured lung among other injuries. I-I'm dying, Craya."

Krakatoa whimpered, a desperate sound if Bararoo'd ever heard one. "Please don't go, please..." She wasn't sure what was more frightening, the tears that flooded her decks or Krakatoa _begging_.

"I'll live on in the stars." She whispered, trying to reassure her distraught mate. "You may not see or hear me but I'm here. I'll always be here. I promised you didn't I?"

"I didn't think you'd be gone so soon..." Krakatoa whispered.

"Soon for you maybe, but 40 years is a long time for me." Bararoo replied. "I am, after all, only mortal." 40 years by her side as a loyal and faithful mate. Bararoo loved her more than her own existence and she knew that if Krakatoa could, she would would follow her in death. But life, immortality, was the volcano's burden and one she had to shoulder alone. "I would have loved to have spent eternity with you, _amoursine._ "* Bararoo whispered, her voice faltering.

She felt Krakatoa pull her close, being extra gentle as she located the steamer's bow by touch and memory. Bararoo looked deep into those amber orbs, seeing her despair, her agony over losing the ship she was most closest to and knew she couldn't leave without doing one more thing. "Promise me something." She rasped.

"Anything." Krakatoa whimpered.

"Promise me you'll find another."

"Bararoo..."

"Krakatoa, promise me. You're stronger than this. I know you are. There are other schooners in this world, other ships you can choose from. You won't be replacing me, I know that. I just want you to be happy."

Krakatoa choked back a sob. "As long as you are gone from my world, I will never be happy." She cried.

"Try, Craya. For me please try." Bararoo begged her.

"I will, try." She promised. "For you, I will try."

Bararoo snuggled into her, feeling her curl around her in response. "I love you." The volcano whispered.

Bararoo smiled. "I know." She looked up at her, seeing she had her face turned away. "Let me look at you. Let me see you smile."

She whimpered.

"Come on, smile for your old girl." Bararoo nudged her with what strength she had left, which wasn't much.

But it was enough to get her attention. Slowly she turned her face towards Bararoo, meeting her mate's eyes eyes and offering a sweet little smile, one which the steamer returned in full. "You have such a beautiful smile." She whispered. "Don't lose that."

"I won't."

She leaned forward and Bararoo met her halfway. As soon as their lips touched she deepened the kiss, desperate for the last live contact she'd have. Bararoo resisted the urge to close her eyes. She wanted to leave this world with an image of her mate captured and imprinted on her lenses. She would always remember Krakatoa's amber gaze. Alight with the fire of her heart, even blind as it was. A fighter like she always has been. But some battles you just cannot win.

" _Jatille**,_ Craya..."

Her mate's loving face was the last thing Bararop saw before the steamer's vision turned black and she saw no more. She remembered feeling the thud of her hull against Krakatoa's and realizing she had fallen forward. She felt her mate's bow come down on her decks, and she felt her tears rain down. _"Don't cry..."_ She tried to comfort her but that's when everything ceased alltogether and Bararoo became one with the stars.

Krakatoa felt her mate still beside her. She held her mate close and tight, gently closing her lifeless eyes. Krakatoa's whimpers grew louder and louder, changing, altering into deeper more pronounced growls that vibrated her hull bow to stern. Then, in similar fashion to a few days earlier, the volcano tipped her head back and roared her anguish to the heavens!

...

* Shiptongue word for lover or mate. It has a deep spiritual meaning attached which may have something to do with the bonds mated ships share.

** The word for "goodbye" or "farewell" in the Ancient Tongues of the Vulcan Forges. Only volcano ships or one who is mated to a volcano ship knows this language. It is rarely spoken out loud and is usually only done so during rituals and ceremonies.


End file.
